Is recovery a lie? I think it is but we all have different definitions of recovery I guess. Recovery for me has always meant a life free of symptoms of my mental illness or at least learning ways to cope that would allow me to function seamlessly in the largely neurotypical world, neither thing has happened for me and I don’t believe it ever will. I’ve been “in recovery” for pretty much my entire adult life and things aren’t getting easier they are getting more challenging.

I have seen people online declare themselves recovered from mental illness when they can’t do things like hold a job or go outside on a regular basis. If you can’t work, function in your society the way that is expected as a non-ill person in what way are you recovered? Your illness is still hindering you, you are still sick. Even the people who work, have families, and do all the “normal” life things who are considered recovered will often describe how hard it is but they bite their lip and power through.

I’ve done everything in different combinations. Medication, exercise, meditation, herbal supplements, vitamins, therapy, dietary changes, none of it works. Sure it can make things less sucky but mental illness will always suck, always affect you, unless you are one of the lucky ones whose illness just disappears one day.

Recovery is a lie. It’s one of those meaningless over positive concepts somebody made up to give the mentally ill hope, but its a sham. I’m done believing and done hoping, it will always be hard, it will always affect my life, I will never have sense of normalcy.